They probably last nearly forever, but I throw them out at the end of each camping season and start over. I keep them in a bag in the fridge to grab when we pack for a trip.

By the way, I am very, very careful not to take more than I think I need and still end up with way too many!

I don't use them at all which is why I have a surplus. The fast food employees throw in a handful of them, even if I say "no condiments". I put them in the fridge at work which is why I am worrying about it - what if they go bad and I make my co-workers sick?

They probably last nearly forever, but I throw them out at the end of each camping season and start over. I keep them in a bag in the fridge to grab when we pack for a trip.

By the way, I am very, very careful not to take more than I think I need and still end up with way too many!

I don't use them at all which is why I have a surplus. The fast food employees throw in a handful of them, even if I say "no condiments". I put them in the fridge at work which is why I am worrying about it - what if they go bad and I make my co-workers sick?

Store them at home for 3 months, then take to work and toss the old bag? Except for soy sauce, of course. We know that will last forever! Are you that organized? I think I would be for a year, then get tired of it - Jan 1, April 1, July 1, October 1 - nah, too much to remember. Just a thought.

How long do the sealed packets of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise last? The ones given out in fast food restaurants.

I put my surplus in the fridge and just noticed none of them have an expiration date.

Cleaning the kitchen after my mother passed away, I found condiment packets that were years old. As far as I can tell, soy sauce is forever as long as it hasn't dried up. Somewhere around four or five years old, mustards and ketchup start turning dark in color. My mother undoubtably would have declared them perfectly edible, but I wasn't going to try them. There weren't any mayonaise packets available to test, but jars of mayonaise are usually dated six months to a year in advance, and I've used mayo that was six months past the date and lived to tell the tale. I'd give the mayo packets two years, especially if they have been refrigerated instead of stuffed in a drawer.

My stupid question: when a restaurant charges an automatic gratuity, who gets that? Does it go to the restaurant or to the server?

I was part of a large party (with split checks to boot) and our overworked server was amazing. I added money to the automatic gratuity but after I walked out I wondered if she was going to get the whole amount or just the added amount (in which case I think I undertipped her).

It's interesting to see the different mnemonics for greater-than/less-than. The way I learned it was simply that the arrow always points at the smaller side.

Virg

to me actualy the sign is a mnemonic, so I am surprisded that people need another one.

Many people don't readily absorb new signs and symbols. To some people mathematical abbreviations (and presumably other signs) are readily absorbed, to many many people something completely new induces panic and a mnemonic can ease them over that hump. Add to that the number of students who already don't understand maths readily and are thinking "WHAT!? They're writing new LETTERS now? What?!" Again, relating it to something familiar can help them to feel more comfortable with it.

I wonder if you are a visual learner, as often I find they are the ones who absorb new symbols more easily.

It's interesting to see the different mnemonics for greater-than/less-than. The way I learned it was simply that the arrow always points at the smaller side.

Virg

to me actualy the sign is a mnemonic, so I am surprisded that people need another one.

Many people don't readily absorb new signs and symbols. To some people mathematical abbreviations (and presumably other signs) are readily absorbed, to many many people something completely new induces panic and a mnemonic can ease them over that hump. Add to that the number of students who already don't understand maths readily and are thinking "WHAT!? They're writing new LETTERS now? What?!" Again, relating it to something familiar can help them to feel more comfortable with it.

I wonder if you are a visual learner, as often I find they are the ones who absorb new symbols more easily.

I'm very much a kinetic learner, and when I was very young in elementary school my teacher taught us a great tool. She had us draw the signs, then draw teeth inside them, just the standard triangle teeth. She explained that crocodiles were very greedy and very hungry and their mouths were always poised to eat the bigger number because there was more of it. I think this must have been before 5th grade, as I was still in parochial school at the time.

On my first homework assignment, I turned every single one into a rudimenatry crocodile. My teacher said she appreciated the creativity, but I really should try to stick to strictly mathematical symbols, but I never forgot the hungry crocodile.

What is a loundroom? I just saw it mentioned by an Australian, as describing a house. I'm guessing it's a living room? Google seems to agree that's it a word, but otherwise isn't being too helpful in telling me what it is.

What is a loundroom? I just saw it mentioned by an Australian, as describing a house. I'm guessing it's a living room? Google seems to agree that's it a word, but otherwise isn't being too helpful in telling me what it is.